Flying Field Neighbors
Tom Kempf
It's one thing to obtain a good flying site. It's quite another to keep using it year after year in harmony with nearby neighbors. This is the story of how an AMA-chartered club found hosting an annual Open House to be beneficial.
We've all heard horror stories about model clubs losing their flying sites. The most common reason given for field loss is noise, even though that reason may be wrapped in a tangle of other complaints. Our club (Millis Model Aircraft Club, Millis, MA) believes there's more to these complaints than noise alone, and we've found a way to virtually eliminate hard feelings on the part of our flying-field neighbors.
Our engines are as noisy as many that are muffled. Our flying field is located in the center of town, and the engines can be heard for quite a distance. In fact, I was sitting in church one Sunday morning listening to two droning sounds: one from the pulpit and one from our flying field about four blocks away. Rather than hope for luck, we make our own by holding a special event each spring — a personal Open House for our closest neighbors.
Why a personal Open House
The key word is personal. To develop the concept we put ourselves in our neighbors' place and considered how they might react to noise on a quiet Saturday afternoon. They could think, "They've got a lot of nerve doing whatever they're doing so close to my house. Nobody asked." People don't like being left out; the unknown is irritating. The solution is to give them personal attention and let them in on what's happening.
Invitations and outreach
Each June we prepare an invitation packet for the event. The packet and outreach process typically includes:
- An invitation sheet giving the event date, explaining there will be aircraft displays and flight demonstrations, and assuring that refreshments will be free.
- A map printed on the back showing the location and the field entrance.
- AMA brochures and information sheets ordered from the AMA Public Relations Department, included in individual packets.
- Personal delivery: club officers go door-to-door delivering invitations to the 50 closest flying-field neighbors, explain the event, and tell them they may bring family and friends.
People react favorably because they're used to being solicited by mail or phone, but the personal approach makes a solid impression and establishes the club as a responsible, mature organization.
Event-day preparations
The morning of the Open House is full of focused preparation. Typical tasks include:
- Roping off a large area at one end of the parking lot for static displays and making directional signs.
- Picking up several cases of soft drinks and packing coolers with plenty of ice.
- Giving the field a fresh mowing and trimming the edges.
- Setting up aircraft on the static display and adding a complete flight-box fuselage showing a typical radio installation for visitors who ask about controls.
On the day: greeting and demonstrations
The personal touch continues as visitors arrive:
- A club member greets each car, hands the driver an information sheet and a copy of the field regulations, directs parking, and points out the refreshment area.
- Every member wears a name tag so guests can identify club members easily and feel comfortable asking questions.
- Club members make an effort to mingle, form small groups with visitors, answer questions, and demonstrate equipment at the display area.
- Our most experienced fliers perform the flight demonstrations. This is not the day for a crash — we want to impress and reassure visitors with controlled, safe flying.
Most visitors have never seen an R/C model fly and are always amazed at the control. Typical comments are, "They're bigger than I thought," "I didn't realize they were so complicated," and the kicker, "They're not as loud as I expected."
Inviting the property owner and building goodwill
We make sure to invite the property owner. His attendance builds confidence that we will respect the land and not become a community nuisance. Guests leave with a clear idea of "what that noise is," know several club members personally, and are reassured that we're a responsible group.
Most important, if someone who didn't attend later complains about the club, the neighbors who did attend will back us up. They will likely say, "You ought to go over and watch them fly. It's interesting, and they're a nice group of people." That firsthand support keeps anti-noise petitions from circulating and goes a long way toward fending off complaints.
Results
After two years of holding the Open House we've never had a complaint. Not once have the police visited to tell us to hold it down. The events have resulted in genuine respect for our activities and stronger relationships with our neighbors. We'll be holding our third Open House this year, probably with even more people attending. We'd spring for fifty cases of Coke for the kind of results we get.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
